Majority of Palestinians in favor of holding general elections: poll

An overwhelming majority of the Palestinians support holding the general elections, a poll showed on Saturday ahead of the resumption of reconciliation talks between rival factions.

The poll, which was conducted by the Arab World For Research and Development (AWRAD), said that 80 percent of the subjects are for holding the general elections immediately.

It showed that the number of the Palestinians who support holding the elections was higher in the Gaza Strip than that in the West Bank

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah Party will get 39 percent of the votes while its rival Hamas will get 17 percent if the elections are held, according to the poll.

It also showed that if other small parties, like the left-wing Popular Front (PFLP) and Islamic Jihad, run in the parliamentary elections, they altogether would get three-four percent of the votes.

The last legislative elections were held in the Palestinian territories in January 2006, when Hamas ousted Fatah, while the last presidential elections were held in January 2005, in which President Abbas won.

The poll also showed that 58 percent of those who joined it, are not deeply concerned that President Abbas will quit his post, while 34 percent said they are because there is no alternative to him.

"About 66 percent believe that holding the presidential elections immediately is the best choice to avoid Abbas resignation, while 13 percent said that choosing a successor to Abbas has to be through Fatah movement," said the poll.

It also said that 79 percent oppose the choice of dissolving the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and moving the full control of the West Bank to Israel, while 14 percent said they accept the move.

The survey was carried out on 1,200 male and female Palestinians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Endit